Thanksgiving 2026
Thanksgiving pet safety: what dogs and cats can't eat, and how to run the day around them
A little plain, boneless, skinless turkey is generally safe for dogs and cats, says the AVMA. Keep them away from bones, skin, gravy, stuffing, onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, raw yeast dough, chocolate and xylitol. Gate the kitchen, warn guests not to share plates, and put the carcass in a closed bin.
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Most Thanksgiving pet emergencies are not exotic. They are a dog who found the carcass in the trash, a cat who licked the gravy boat, or a guest who slipped a plate of skin and stuffing under the table. The veterinary groups agree on the short list of what to avoid, so the useful work is turning it into a plan for a busy kitchen.
What pets can and cannot eat from the Thanksgiving table
From the AVMA, FDA and AAHA guidance in the Sources list:
| Dish or ingredient | For dogs and cats | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plain turkey meat, no skin, no bones | Small amounts, generally OK | AVMA lists plain, boneless, skinless turkey as generally safe in small portions |
| Turkey skin, fat trimmings, gravy | No | High fat; can cause stomach upset and pancreatitis (FDA, AVMA) |
| Turkey bones, the carcass | No | Cooked bones splinter: choking, blockage, internal injury |
| Stuffing and dressing | No | Often contains onion, garlic, raisins or fat |
| Onions, garlic, shallots, leeks | No | Alliums can damage red blood cells and cause anemia (AAHA) |
| Grapes and raisins | No | Can cause kidney failure in dogs (AAHA) |
| Raw yeast dough (rolls) | No | Expands in the stomach; rising dough also produces alcohol |
| Chocolate desserts | No | Toxic to dogs and cats; darker chocolate is worse |
| Sugar-free desserts, some peanut butters | No | Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs |
| Macadamia nuts | No | Toxic to dogs (AAHA) |
| Corn cobs, gourds, pine cones on the table | Keep out of reach | AVMA says decorations like these can cause choking or blockage |
| Cooking twine and the turkey wrapper | Keep out of reach | AVMA warns string-like items can get trapped in a pet's intestines; wrappers smell like meat |
Not sure about a specific dish? The safe default is the one AVMA gives: if you want to share a treat, make or buy one made for pets.
A run-of-day plan for hosts with pets
Wednesday
- Look up your vet's holiday hours and the nearest emergency clinic that is open on Thursday. Save the number in your phone with the ASPCA line (888-426-4435).
- Decide where the pet will be during cooking and during dinner: behind a gate, in a quiet room, or in a crate it already likes.
Thursday morning: the kitchen
- Gate the kitchen while you cook, as AAHA suggests. Dropped onion, raw dough and turkey trimmings are the risks here.
- Put the giblet bag, twine and turkey wrapper straight into a closed bin. Take it out to the outdoor can before guests arrive.
When guests arrive
- Tell everyone, especially children, not to feed the pet. AAHA puts guest education on its short list. Handing them a few of the pet's own treats works better than a lecture.
- Keep plates off low coffee tables and watch drinks left at nose height.
- Check the door: arrivals and departures are when pets slip out.
During dinner
- Give the dog a stuffed toy or lick mat in another room. A busy pet is not begging.
- If you are running a buffet, it will sit out for up to two hours under the buffet rules; that is two hours at pet height on some tables.
After dinner: the carcass
- The carcass is the single most common holiday raid. Strip it for leftovers or stock, then wrap the bones tightly and take them outside or put them in a bin with a latch. FDA specifically warns that dogs help themselves to the turkey carcass in the trash.
- The cleanup plan has the full order; add a trash run before you sit down with dessert.
Pets and overnight guests
Visitors who stay over bring their own hazards: open suitcases with medication, sugar-free gum in coat pockets, and doors left ajar. If you are housing family, add a line about the pet to the overnight guests checklist: bags on a bed or shelf, not the floor. And if a guest is bringing their own dog, agree in advance where it will sleep and whether the two animals have met.
Warning signs
AVMA lists sudden behavior changes, depression, pain, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea as signs a pet may have eaten something it should not have. FDA describes pancreatitis in dogs as including vomiting, stomach pain, restlessness, shaking, diarrhea, fever and weakness. Do not wait to see if it passes: call your vet or an emergency clinic.
Five things that make the plan work
The vet groups' advice comes down to keeping pets out of the kitchen and the trash, and giving them something of their own to do. These help with each.
-
Regalo Easy Step walk-through gate (29 to 38.5 in openings)Our pick
AAHA's first tip is to block off the kitchen with a baby gate while you cook. A walk-through gate lets the host pass with a hot dish without climbing over anything.
- Listing says:
- The listing gives a fit range of 29 to 38.5 inches, with a walk-through door.
- Look for:
- A gate that fits your kitchen doorway and opens with one hand. Measure the opening first.
- Best for:
- Dog owners with an open doorway into the kitchen.
- Skip:
- if the kitchen has a door you can keep shut, or your dog jumps gates; use a closed room instead.
-
simplehuman 40-liter slim step trash can with secure slide lock
FDA warns that dogs go after the turkey carcass in the trash, and AAHA suggests a can with a secure, locking lid. A step can with a lid lock keeps bones and string out of reach on the day the bin is fullest.
- Listing says:
- The listing describes a 40-liter (10.6-gallon) slim step can with a secure slide lock.
- Look for:
- A lid that latches, not just one that closes, and a size that fits your usual bags.
- Best for:
- Homes with a dog that has raided the trash before.
- Skip:
- if your bin already sits behind a closed door or in a latched cabinet.
-
KONG Classic stuffable dog toy
AVMA suggests giving pets a treat made for them rather than table scraps. A stuffable rubber toy, filled with their own food, keeps a dog busy in another room while guests eat.
- Look for:
- The right size for your dog; a toy that is too small can be a choking risk.
- Best for:
- Dogs that beg or pace at the table.
- Skip:
- if your dog destroys rubber toys; supervise the first use.
-
LUKITO lick mat for dogs and cats
A lick mat spread with the pet's own food is a slow, quiet job for the hour when the turkey comes out, for dogs and for cats.
- Look for:
- Dishwasher-safe material and a grooved surface; spread food thinly.
- Best for:
- Cats and dogs that get anxious with guests.
- Skip:
- for pets that chew the mat itself.
-
Zuke's Mini Naturals dog training treats
Hand guests a bag of the dog's own treats. It answers the 'can I give him a bite?' question with a yes that is safe, which is easier than a no.
- Look for:
- Small, soft treats your pet already eats, so the day does not add a new food.
- Best for:
- Hosts with guests, especially children, who will want to feed the dog.
- Skip:
- if your pet is on a prescription diet; ask your vet what is allowed.
Questions people ask
Can dogs eat turkey?
A small amount of plain, boneless, skinless turkey is generally safe for pets, according to the AVMA. Skip the skin, fat, gravy and stuffing: rich, fatty food can cause pancreatitis, which FDA describes as painful and potentially life-threatening.
Can dogs eat turkey bones?
No. Cooked poultry bones can splinter, and AVMA and FDA say they can cause choking, blockages or internal injuries. Wrap the carcass and bones tightly and put them in a bin the pet cannot open, or outside.
Which Thanksgiving foods are toxic to dogs and cats?
Onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, chocolate, xylitol (in some sugar-free desserts and peanut butters), raw yeast dough, macadamia nuts and alcohol, per AVMA and AAHA. Stuffing and gravy often contain onion or garlic.
What should I do if my pet eats something dangerous?
Call your veterinarian or an emergency vet clinic right away. AVMA also lists the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) and Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661); a fee may apply. Know where the nearest open emergency clinic is before Thursday.
What are signs my pet ate something it shouldn't?
AVMA lists sudden behavior changes, depression, pain, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. FDA adds restlessness, shaking, fever and weakness as signs of pancreatitis in dogs; in cats, signs are harder to notice, such as eating less.
Sources
Numbers and rules on this page come from these pages, checked October 26, 2026. Sources can change; check them before a high-stakes meal.
- AVMA: Thanksgiving pet safety (plain boneless turkey in small portions; bones, fat, onions, grapes; trash; decorations)
- AVMA: Winter holiday pet safety (chocolate, xylitol, yeast dough, warning signs, poison-control numbers)
- AVMA: Household hazards (cooked poultry bones splinter; string-like items can be trapped in the intestines)
- FDA: Keep Your Dogs and Cats Safe From Holiday Hazards (fat trimmings, turkey skin, pancreatitis, bones in the trash)
- AAHA: Thanksgiving foods pets should avoid (bones, high-fat foods, alliums, grapes, dough, macadamia nuts; baby gates and locking trash lids)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435; a fee may apply)